Welcome Home, Love
by C.I.Gataki21
Summary: After rescuing Kanan, from the Inquisitor. Hera can't help but go to his room and Kanan sits and waits for her because even in the mist of war, people need a home, a place where they feel safe and for Kanan and Hera, they are each other's home.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything but the plot.

Hello...is it me your looking for. (Lionel Richie song.)

Sorry I just always wanted to write that when posting a fic. :D

So first time writing in this fandom and it's just a little comfort because I love Kanan &amp; Hera. They are meant to be, in my eyes.

Not really that wise on Star Wars in general, but love Star Wars Rebels, so if I made any mistake, I do apologies.

Random notes, I use sports bra in the fic, even though in the Star wars world, there probably isn't any but it didn't sound write when I wrote, cloth bound breasts. So please allow that to slip by. If you all think it fits then let me know and I will change it.

Hope you like it.

* * *

Welcome Home, Love.

Kanan could barely understand what Ezra was saying, his head was aching. It had been since the Inquisitor had tried to force his way inside. But after the kid and the rest of the crew came to free him, he hadn't had much down time, what between trying to get out alive and _kill_ that bastard.

And once they finally made it out, clear of all danger, for the moment.

Another player entered the game; it wasn't that he wasn't happy about it because he probably would be, once he could think freely and clearly without the constant pain in his head. But right now, he couldn't give it the thought he should, he was barely keeping his head up and eyes open.

He had really been pushed to an edge; his powers had been stretched a little too tautly.

Hera swallowed, even as she smiled at Ezra's words, her eyes flickering towards Kanan again. Trying to quell the knot in her stomach, it was stupid and irrational really. He was fine, sat right beside her, nothing bad had happened…but it could ha—

She needed to cut that train of thought off.

Thinking like that would accomplish nothing.

Moving her eyes back towards Kanan, she noticed the small twitch at the corner of his mouth and knew what he was trying to hide.

"I don't know about you lot but I'm ready for bed." Hera smiled towards Ezra when he looked towards her, as Sabine lifted her arms above her head in a stretch.

"What?" He couldn't understand how she could be tired; they just escaped the bad guys, after taking one down. He was anything but tired, if anything Ezra had never felt more awake in his life. Now they had Kanan back alive, safe and sound, he could finally relax and if he was being honest….he kind of didn't want to leave Kanan alone.

It was stupid and childish of him, but he had been really worried he was about to lose the older Jedi and now he had him back, he kind of just wanted to be around him. However childish that was, he didn't care but neither would he say it out loud.

"We should celebrate." Ezra grinned as he looked around the table.

Zeb leaned back in his seat, aware of the invisible heaviness in the room. Of course the younger ones didn't catch it, although Sabine probably had an inkling something was off, but not actually aware of what it was. But he knew and he agreed with Hera. "Kid, in this business. You need to get your sleep, when and where you can."

Sabine nodded as she lowered both arms to the table top, looking at Kanan with a smile, glad to have the older man back. "And now is the perfect time, with the strike we just dealt them, we have a little window of free time." Which she planned to use, to sleep as much as she could. After joining the crew she soon adapted to the little sleeps, but when she could she would revert back to her old ways.

"You should use it to rest and recuperate." Hera wasn't trying to ruin Ezra mood, or dismiss his feelings because she knew the younger teen was scared of losing the crew. She was just trying to give Kanan an excuse, without it coming from him because if he asked to be excused then Ezra would pick on something being wrong.

"Guys, come on." They should play a game or have a celebratory drink, or something.

Chopper spoke in a melody that was very much his own language, which only a select few where special enough to understand.

"See Choppers right." Ezra reached out, placing his hand on the tin machine's head, while pointing to it with his other hand, looking at Hera and Zeb, then Sabine to Kanan.

He should probably say something, but he was burnt out, the most he could so was smile, so that's what Kanan did.

Zeb started shifting off the booth seat around the fixed table. "Come on, we can play a game or something in our room." Standing to his feet, he nudged Chopper out the way, only to curse when the little contraption zapped him.

Sabine didn't bother to supress her laugh as she shifted out from the seat aswell. "Night guys, Hera." She waved over her shoulder as she exited the room.

Ezra frowned at Sabine's retreating back, and ignored Zeb as he fought with Chopper, to look at Kanan as he shifted out the seat. "How about we train or something?"

Maybe he should just explain to Ezra that he wasn't up to anything right now, that he needed to rest but a part of him didn't want to because it wouldn't make him look as tough as Ezra seemed to think he was. And that was stupid of him on his part, but Kana only ever wanted to be a good Master for his Padawan.

Luckily enough the door opened, to show Sabine again.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm as sleepy as I first thought." The younger women leaned against the doorjamb and whistled to get the big fuzz's attention. "Is that game offer in your room, still standing?"

Ezra nodded his head, glad to see not everyone was going to bed. "Yeah, it is." He shifted out the seat, deciding that since Hera and Kanan where going to retire to their beds, he would have fun with the others who were still awake.

Hera leaned her forearms on the table, trying not to fidget or get up to fuss over Kanan, the older man could handle himself, he had proven it many times over through the years, but it didn't make it any easier for her to see him hurt.

If anything it had only gotten hard through the years.

"You did well today, Ezra." He knew he should say something more profound because Ezra actions had been brave, but also methodical. He had weighed up the risk; saw the danger in what he was doing, even though he still decided on his course of action. Yet it didn't deter the younger teen, if anything it had sharpened his plan.

Kanan could see the making of something great in Ezra, it was easy for people to become lost by things but with the younger teen, he could only see those losses helping to shape Ezra.

Normally he would keep any kind of affection between them private. Not because the rest of the crew wouldn't understand, if anything they would probably tease Ezra, but he wasn't always sure of his own actions and how the younger teen would take them. But he reached out with his hand, resting it onto of the kid's head, giving his hair a quick ruffle.

Ezra tried to supress his smile, and shrugged one shoulder as he looked at Kanan's face. "I had a good teacher." He felt his smile grow when the older man's lips curved up at one end in a grin. Ducking his head out from Kanan's hand, he started for the door. "Come on Chopper, Zeb."

Sabine turned in the doorway and called over her shoulder as she started walking, quickly. "I call the bed."

"Me too." Ezra started running, passing by Sabine, wanting to beat Zeb to the room.

"What?" Hell no, his bed was his, Sabine and Ezra, could squish onto the younger teen's bed and Chopper was going to find himself locked out. "Get off me." He lifted his foot, and pressed it against the tin buckets body and pushed him back, a good distance.

"Later guys." Zeb glanced back at Hera, giving her a quick grin before patting Kanan on the shoulder, gently, then taking off for the door.

Hera shook her head as Chopper started chuntering, while revealing his little metal arms out of his head. "Chopper, be nice." She called out after her friend as he chased after Zeb, Shaking her head she crossed her legs on the seat watching Kanan. "You tired?"

"Yeah, just a bit, being tortured kind of does that to you." He wouldn't have said that to any of the others, but with Hera he didn't have to be as guarded. "I'll see you in the morning." Because he was about to drop, managing a quick grin he moved towards the door and to his room.

When the door opened he walked in, and moved his fingers towards the control panel, dimming the lights in his room and once the door was shut he stumbled towards the chair, groaning softly as he sat down.

His head was about to explode.

-.-.-

_Being tortured kind of does that to you._

She knew he meant it as a joke, even though they both knew it was true.

This was war and casualties happened.

Rubbing a hand over her face she sat in silence, trying to calm her thoughts and feelings. Ever since his voice came over the com telling her to go, she felt like this. Uneasy, sick, worried, nervous, Scared and so many other things.

Drawing in a breath she unfolded her legs and shifted out from the seat, moving towards small metal door in the right corner of the room. Popping it open, she took out the med kit, knowing she should just let him rest because Kanan didn't have any serious injuries, well any serious physical injuries anyway.

Probably just a few scrapes, burns and bruises.

Still that didn't stop her from pulling the med kit towards her and making her way towards Kanan's room. The hallways where quiet thankfully, even if her's and Kanan's quarters weren't near the rest of the other bunk rooms Zeb and Ezra's antics could sometimes spill all over the ship.

Standing before the door, she held the small box in both hands as the door slid open, with the barest hint of noise, to reveal Kanan sat in the chair holding his head in his hands, in the dark. Stepping into the room, she moved towards him on slow feet, wishing she took her boots off. "Love?"

He didn't have to open his eyes, or even have to use his Jedi powers to know who it was because he knew Hera. "I just have an intense headache and some burns." Those electric sticks, fucking hurt, even though his clothing he still received burns to the skin, but it could have been far worse if they stripped him.

She came to a stop before him, and bent down briefly to rest the med kit on the floor, before standing again and lifted both her hands to his head. With carefully fingers she undid his hair tie, making sure not to pull, and loosened his hair, to thread her fingers through it and apply light pressure to his scalp.

Oh force, that felt good. He groaned easing his hands from his face to rest his forearms on his thighs, and leant his head against Hera's stomach. "Don't stop."

Hera felt her lips curl as she moved her fingers to another area, finding comfort in being able to ease his pain, probably not on any real level of relief but if she could ease it by the smallest amount she would. And it didn't matter they stayed like that for a while, nothing being said between them, in the dark, she just continued to massage his head.

Once she felt him gradually relax, she moved her left hand to the back of his neck and squeezed. Finding herself asking a question, she probably shouldn't ask because it wouldn't give her peace to know the answer. "Did he try to…?"

"Yes." He found his eyes opening slowly, finding the pain in his head a little less than before. Maybe it was Hera's technique or maybe it was the fact she was here with him. This woman had a way of soothing him without trying, when she didn't rile him up of course. When fingers squeezed a little tightly before going lax he lifted his head, straightening his back to look at her face. "But he failed."

She managed to curve her lips, as she moved her hands to massage the space behind his ears, thumb briefly tracing his cheek bone. "Of course." If he had been manipulated in that way, he wouldn't be the Kanan everyone knew, even if the manipulation had been stubble, she would have known because she knew this man.

He was her man, even if they both agreed that nothing would happened between them, until after the war was done because it was their first priority. He was hers and she was his, it was unspoken but in no way unacknowledged.

"Sorry." She knew she shouldn't have chosen to hide the crew, when she had been instructed. Her feeling was to go after him and she should have.

He looked at her eyes, finding the green so captivating. "Don't be." They understood this was war, personal feelings didn't enter the equation because when they did, they would confuse the points of view, cloud judgements and cause more harm than good.

Kanan would have made the same choice, and probably would do the same thing Hera did. He knew Hera felt bad about her decision, so he tried to make her feel better. "You soon came to your senses." It was a joke, or as best as one he could make at this moment.

Hera smiled at the words and drew her hands back from his hair. "Yes I did." Moving to kneel in front of him, she started taking off his arm armour, unbuckling the pieces before drawing them to rest on the floor. Moving to undo his belt, she pulled his top out the band of his trousers, "Arms up Jedi."

He lifted his arms, trying not to show the pain he was feeling at the shift of muscles. Once the top was off, he looked down at his own chest and arms, seeing five burns, making the skin red and blistered. "I wanted to take that poker and ram it into their very private places."

She opened the med kit and took out salve, to help with the burns. Unscrewing the cap she squeezed some onto her fingers, before moving to rub the first spot on his forearm, being gentle as she could. "I would have."

Kanan watched her face as she worked, he knew Hera and he had made an agreement that they were secondary and the war was first. That if they both survive and the war was over than they would act on it, and maybe see where it went. But right now this didn't feel like maybe, it hadn't felt like maybe for a long time.

Honestly if it wasn't for this Twi'lek, he probably wouldn't even be a rebel; he would still be working on Gorse, she helped him find a reason to fight and in his mind, that kind of made her first and the war secondary.

But he wouldn't tell her until they had done what they needed to, the way they worked together right now, wasn't a hindrance, in fact it was pretty damn good, so he didn't want to mess with it…just yet.

Raising his hand he traced a finger over her cheek, down to her jaw line, where he curled his fingers under her chin, tilting it up a fraction as he bent his head, pressing their lips together.

She let the tube rest in her pocket as she lifted her hand, to rest against the side of his face, responding to his kiss, needing the comfort he was offering. She may have started in this war alone, but that wasn't the case now and she was glad he was here with her.

He slowed the kiss, drawing his lips back for a moment before taking another kiss however this one just a simple, soft loving kiss, saying what he wouldn't out loud, while rubbing his thumb along the edge of her chin.

Hera looked into blue eyes, finding herself calmer, the unease since Kanan had been taken, disappeared. Drawing her fingers to the edge of his jaw, she danced them along it, as she leaned in taking another sweet kiss, only this time she had a soft smile as she took it.

Kanan felt his lips curve as she drew back, and continued to sit patently as Hera applied the salve to the burns, by the time she reached the one on his chest, he was completely relaxed. All he wanted to do now was sleep. "Stay with me?"

She hummed as she finished rubbing the salve on the upper part of his left pectoral. "You did get tortured." Hera didn't need a reason to stay with him; some nights she stayed for no reason, and that was more often than not. But she was feeling a little playful and wanted to tease him, now she knew everything was fine.

"I did, plus I had to listen to Ezra talk." Kanan didn't really find Ezra a bother, but he would play it up, so she would stay with him. "_For hours_."

She sank her teeth into her bottom lip as she recapped the burns salve tube. "You poor baby." He had a rough couple of days.

He nodded his head while watching her eyes, she might be looking at the tub but he could see the answer them already.

Standing up she placed one hand on her hip, cocking it slightly as she spoke. "I get the pillow." Stars only know why Kanan liked to sleep with one pillow, but she liked two and normally brought her own pillows with her. She could go back to her bunk and grab them, but she didn't want to.

"Deal." He only liked one pillow for a reason, because sometimes it would force Hera to use him as her pillow when she forgot to bring her own, or was too lazy to get them. But tonight he wasn't quiet feeling up to playing pillow.

She stood beside the bunk and tipped her head towards it, telling him to get on it and when he sat she undid his boots pulling them off before standing back up. "You want next to the wall." She asked the question as moved the straps of her trousers, off her shoulders, letting them pool at her waist, as she lifted one leg, then the other to remove her boots.

Once she had her feet free, she pushed her pants down past her hips, to let them pool at her feet and simply stepped out of them, while reaching up with her hands to take her goggles off. Carefully placing them on the desk, she removed her head band and dropped it to rest on her goggles, before shedding her outter top, to reveal her sports bra underneath.

Kanan watched her drop her top to rest on her pants and shook his head slightly, "I don't want the wall." He knew it was her favourite spot, so if anything cause the tip to tilt; he would be the first to fall out of bed.

Hera knelt on the bed beside him, seeing he shed his pants and frowned at him. "I don't want you by the edge of the bunk." If he fell out he would hurt himself, and he was already hurt.

"I won't and besides, I don't want the edge either." Just because he didn't feel like playing pillow tonight didn't mean he was planning to sleep without one. Ushering her to lie down, he shifted himself over her, about to tap her knees when she parted her legs.

She kept her arms by her shoulders as he got comfortable, laying his head her chest, causing his hair to tickle her jaw. When he relaxed and went still she lifted her hands, putting one back in his hair, massaging lightly, while she placed the other one on his back, slowly starting to trace something into his skin.

He didn't like being away from Hera or the rest of the crew, for any reason. "I'm glad to be back." Because he couldn't think of another place he could call home, he never really had one. His time at the Jedi Temple was cut short and he drifted from place to place after that, never giving another place the chance to become something more.

But with Hera, it felt like Home because to him, she was his home.

She rubbed her thumb over the strands of his hair, slowly started to sweep her fingers through it and smiled at his words, understanding the meaning behind them. She was glad he was back too because he was her home. Bending her head she pressed her lips to the top of his head, whispering quietly.

"Welcome home, Love."

* * *

Hope it wasn't too bad and you enjoy it.

If you liked to leave a review, I would be happy to read them.

And if not, then Thank you for reading.

Till next time, hopefully.

C.I.G.21xx


End file.
